Toothpick-holder.



Patented May 22, 1917.

TI BARTHOLOME'W.

TOOTHPICK HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 5, I916.

strnfrns PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS nanrnonomnw, or GOIiUMBUS, onIo.

roo'rn-rrcx-norrnn.

To' all 'whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that If-THOMAS IBAR'I-HOLO- MEW, a citizenof the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothpick- Holders, of which the following-is a-specification. i

This invention relates to tooth pick holders o'fthe type designed for useprincipally in pu blic places, suchas hotels, restaurants, etc, where tooth picks are dispensed in large numbers among the public. Mytooth pick holder is designed particularly to overcome thepossibility ofon'e person handling ortouching more than one tooth pick during the act of selecting such andin this-manner more perfectsanitation is made for.

It is atheobject of my invention to also construct the toothpick holder 1 along lines which willgpresent-a neat Y and graceful apor pearance and to also provide the necessary degree of rigidity, which guards against breakage. V. 7

Other objects of'myinvention'will become more apparent as the specific construction is related. This construction is shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings, representingthe preferred embodiment of my invention in Which-similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and in which: Y I

Figure 1 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in section showing my improvement, i I

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken through thestructure as shown in Fig. 1,both these views showing the tooth pick receptacle in elevated-position,

Fig. 3 is an end view showing the tooth pick receptacle depressed, p I

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the tooth pick receptacleshowing the relation the selector element occupies, and, I Fig. 5 is: a-view in perspective of the lower end: o fthe connecting stem for supporting the't-ooth pick receptacle. V

The tooth pick receptacle is designated by the reference numeral 1 and is shown as being of substantially hollow cylindrical: form havingits ends closed and provided with-a restricted longitudinal opening at*its top.

Specification of Letters Patent. iPatentd May 2 2 1917; Application filed June 5, 1916, Serial No. 191,704.

The receptacle is preferably made cylindrical toi insure the properlcollection of the tooth picks in prop'errelationwithin the base portion and in order to permit of this construction, I have made the receptacle in two halves, the halves being, if desired, then cemented together. This receptacle is preferablyma'de-of glass, in order that the using public may beable to determine at a glance the contents/of the same. The lower side of each ofithe halves of thereceptacle is further provided with a pair of spaced matched notchedout portions 3, through which the selectorprongs are designedto pass and also boss portions l-havingone tapered sidewall, as shown -at. 5; These taperedside walls are designed to form a ready detachable means of attachment -to the remaining supporting sturcture and for holding the halves of the receptacle together, the upper slotted plate cover 1 and the lower platemember 6 having their edges bent toproperform to slide into "holding position, as shown in Fig. 3.

stem 7 whose lower end is provided with a'bayonet slotSin order that one edge portion" 9 -may be bent outwardly ,a slight distanceasis shown in Figs. 2 and 5 to engage the u-nderside of asuitably apertured cap portion 10 for the base portion 11. The edge portion 9,, is bentout to limitthe upward 'movement of the receptacle 1 under theinfluence of' a spring 12, which spring is guided at' its fupper end by being con-fined within the tube 7 and is centered at its lower end by embracing an upstanding stem13forming a portion of the selector structure. This selector structure is completed by a pair of spaced selector prongs 14 located on opposite sides of the central stem '18 and tubular stem 7 to slidably pass through the notched-out portions 3 in the receptacle 1, each selector To the member 6-there is attached a tubular I prong having a'V-shaped groove in its up- 1 per end,-whereby thetooth picks may readily seat themselves. Boththeprongs l4 and thecentral stem l3 -form an integral part of the selector structure as a Whole and are connected by the base portion l5'having an aperture therein shown at 16. The base support ll is made hollow to accommodate the" spring and selector structure and is closed at its lower end by means of a concaved cap 17 suitably apertured or slotted to permit the passage therethroughof the base portion 15 of the selector structure. After the device has been thus assembled, the cotter pin shown at 18 may be applied. In order to hold the cap closure 10 in position, the selector prongs 14 are out to present shoulders such as shown at 19, these shoulders being designed to bear on the top side of the cap closure 10 when the cotter pin 18 securely holds the base portion 15 in engagement with the element 17. In order to render this holding more secure and to compensate for such slight variations as may occur in the manufacture of the device, a gasket 20 has been inserted between the element 17 and the countersunk portion of the base support 11, this gasket being either variable as to thickness or slightly compressible, as may be desired.

From the foregoing description, it will appear that depression of the receptacle 1 against the influence of the spring 12 will permit the selector prongs ll to pass through the notched-out portions 3, whereby the V-shaped ends of said selector prongs will pick up a tooth pick or other article dispensed and elevate it relatively with the receptacle 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3. Release of the receptacle then causes its return to the position shown in Fig. 2, this return movement being limited by engage,

ment of the outwardly bent portion 9 of the tubular stem 7 with the underside of the cap closure 10, all as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. Because of the fiat shape of the selector structure, the element 17 and the closure 10 must of necessity have slotted openings to permit the mounting of the same and because of this, it is impossible to rotate the receptacle 1 with respect to its base 11. The spring 13 is always held in perfectly centered position by its location within the tube 7 at its upper end and by being centered about the stem 18 at its lower end. If it is desired to clean the glass receptacle, this may be done by withdrawing the selector structure and then removing the plates 1 and 6 whereby ready access to the interior of the receptacle may be had although, if necessary, this receptacle could be cleaned without removing the plates. This plate structure is desirable, however, as they facilitate to a great extent, the cheap manufacture of the glass or transparent receptacle and permit of ready assembling.

\Vhat I claim, is:

1. A tooth pick holder comprising a receptacle, a hollow base structure having an apertured closure at its top, a stem projecting through said aperture and carrying said receptacle at its upper end, spring means interposed between said receptacle and said base structure, means carried by the lower end of said stem and cotiperating with said closure for limiting the upward movement of said receptacle, and a selector carried by said base structure and slidable through said receptacle.

2. A tooth pick holder comprising a receptacle, a hollow base structure having an apertured closure at its top, a hollow stem projecting through said aperture and carrying said receptacle at its upper end, a spring hearing at its lower end in said base structure and confined at its upper end within said hollow stem, means carried by the lower end of said stem for engaging said closure to limit the upward movement of said receptacle, and spaced selector prongs extending upward from said base on opposite sides of said stem and slidable'through said receptacle.

3. A tooth pick holder comprising a receptacle, a hollow base structure, an apertured cap closure for the top of said base, a hollow stem attached to said receptacle and passing through said apertured cap, a selector structure comprising a pair of spaced prongs located on opposite sides of said stem and an upwardly projecting stem centrally located between said prongs, a spring centered at its lower end around said last named stem and at its upper end within said first named stem, means for limiting the upward movement of said receptacle, and means for attaching said selector structure to said base.

l. In a tooth pick holder, a hollow receptacle having a restricted opening formed in longitudinal halves, a pair of slotted plates shaped to grip the top and bottom of said halves to lock them together, the base of each half having a notched-out portion, and a selector structure movable through said cooperating notched-out portions and the slot in said bottom plate.

5. In a tooth pick holder, a hollow receptacle having a restricted opening and formed in longitudinal halves, the base of each half having a notched-out portion, a boss on the bottom of eachlialf shaped to cotiperate to form a lock in holding said halves together, a slotted plate whose edges are shaped to grip said bosses in locking the halves to gether, a supporting structure attached to said plate, and a selector structure movable through said notchedout portions and the slot in said plate.

6. In a tooth pick holder, a hollow receptacle having a restricted opening and formed in longitudinal halves, the base of each half having a notched-out portion, a boss on the top and bottom of each half having one tapered side wall, a slotted plate for the top of said receptacle whose side edges are shaped to grip the tapered side In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

walls of the top bosses formed on said receptacle, a securing plate similarly engaging the tapered side Walls of the bottom receptacle bosses, a selector structure movable THOMAS BARTHOLOMEW' through said cooperating notched-out por Witnesses: Y I tions, and a supporting structure attached WALTER E. L. BOOK,

to said bottom securing plate. A. L. PHELPS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, i 7 Washington, D. C. 

